Portable grandstand



Sept. 8, 1953 S. S. STO RER, JR

PORTABLE GRANDSTAND 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Stacy 5. Storer Jr.

INVENTOR.

Filed Feb. 1, 1950 ep 8, 1953 s. s. STORER, JR

PORTABLE GRANDSTAND 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Feb. 1, 1950 Stacy 5. Store! Jr.

INVENTOR.

0 BY adpowyfim Sept. 8, 1953 s. s. STORER, JR 7 2,551,081

PORTABLE GRANDSTAND Filed Feb. 1, 1950 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Stacy 5. Store! Jr.

I INVENTOR.

Patented Sept. 8, 1953 PORTABLE GRANDSTAND Stacy S. Storer, Jr., Atlanta, Ga, assignor to Steel, Inc., Scottdale, Ga., a. corporation of Georgia Application February 1, 1950, Serial No. 141,737

This invention relates to seat and deck construction for stadia, and more particularly to a portable grandstand having a substantially rigid steel construction in which the various parts are completely prefabricated in the shop for erection into a strong, unitary, and durable grandstand which may be readily disassembled when no longer needed so that it may be easily stowed or which may be readily transported from one location to another.

An object of this invention is to provide a portable grandstand which is capable of being readily knocked down or disassembled and which, when in this knockdown position, will occupy a minimum amount of space, thereby facilitating the storage and cartage of the various parts forming the grandstand.

Another object of this invention is the protection of a portable grandstand which may be easily set up and taken down and which will be safe in operation so that a number of people may be seated thereon.

Another object of the invention resides in the provision of a novel and eflicient tie rod for securing the supporting means for the grandstand in a unitary manner and which will have means associated therewith for preventing the tie rod from becoming unlocked.

A still further object of the invention resides in the provision of the novel Z-shaped seat supports on which the foot rests and seats may be fastened so as to form a unitary grand stand.

A further object of the invention resides in the provision of the brace members which extend perpendicularly to the stringers on which the seat supports are mounted.

Additionally, a further object of the invention includes the provision of substantially A-shaped members for supporting the stringers of the grandstand in an inclined position.

Still further objects of the invention reside in the provision of the portable grandstand that is strong, durable, highly eflicient in operation, simple in construction and design, capable of being readily transported or stored, which may be readily fabricated mainly from steel or allied substances, and which is relatively inexpensive.

These, together with the various ancillary objects of the invention which will become apparent as the following description proceeds, are attained by this portable grandstand, a preferred embodiment of which has been illustrated in the accompanying drawings, by way of example only,

wherein: V

Figure 1 is a top plan view of a portion of a 2 Claims. (01. 201.126) I grandstand embodying the principles of the invention, with parts thereof being removed to show other parts in greater detail;

Figure 2 is a vertical sectional view as taken along'line 2-2 in Figure 1;

Figure 3 is an enlarged vertical sectional as taken along line 33 in Figure 2; Figure 4 is an enlarged horizontal sectional detail .view as taken along line 44 in Figure 3;

Figure 5 is a vertical sectional detail as taken along line 55 in Figure 1;

Figure 6 is an elevational view of the novel tie rod used to unify the entire structure;

Figure 7 is a perspective view of the locking end of the tie rod shown in Figure 6;

Figure 8 is a vertical sectional view as taken along line 8-8 in Figure 6 and showing the locking portion of the tie rod in greater detail;

, Figure 9 is a front elevational view of one of the A-frame members used to support the stringers; Figure 10 is a partial perspective view of one of the stringers showing in greatest detail the mannerin which the seat-supporting brackets are secured to the stringers;

Figure 11 is a top plan view of a modified form of seat-supporting element or bracket; and

Figure 12 is a side elevational view of the seatsupporting member shown in Figure 11. "With continuing reference to the accompanying drawings wherein like reference numerals designate similar parts throughout the various views, reference numeral [0 generally designates a portion of" the portable grandstand comprising the present invention; The'various elements of this grandstand include spaced inclined stringers l2,

each of which is preferably formed from I-beams and made out of steel 'or suitable alloys which insure strength and durability for the entire assembly. As shown best in Figures 2 and 10, a

leg [4 is welded to an end of the stringers 12. A base plate I6 is welded or otherwise secured to the bottom surface of the leg M to provide a greater bearing area for the leg l4. To otherwise supportion forming a riser.

port the stringers l2 in an inclined manner, a plurality of A-shaped supporting members [8 are secured thereto in a'manner to be henceforth described.

In the preferred form of the invention, as shown in Figures 1 through 10, there is welded or otherwise secured to the stringers l2 a plurality of Z-shaped supporting brackets 20 which are formed with two substantially parallel and horizontal legs 22 and Hand a central connecting These risers are indicated by reference numeral 26. The free ends the brace rods 58 of the two centrally disposed of the horizontal legs 24 are welded to the string: ers l2, and angle iron brace members 28 which extend perpendicular to the stringers l2 are terminally welded to the upper leg 22 and the stringer 12. Then, as desired, planks are positioned and fastened upon the legs 22 and 24 to form seats 30 and foot rests 32. By eliminating the planks or beams 30 between two adjacent stringers 12, an aisle can be readily formed out of the remaining members 32 so that a person may easily climb the grandstand to a designated or desired row of seats. Obviously, it is desirabieto reduce the size of the aisle by placing the adjoining stringers closer together. T

In order to secure adjacent stringer's together in a rigid relationship, substantially elongated U-shaped tie rods 34 are providediwhich are;

readily inserted in U-shaped members36 which are welded to the stringers 12 as best shown in' Figure 5. The U-shaped members 36 are so welded to the stringers 92 that their free ends abut against the stringers forming an eye in which the opposed legs of the U-shaped tie" rods 34 may be readily received. v I

With reference to the supporting members 18 and with particular reference to Figures 3, 4 and 9, it will be seen that each of these members 18 comprise a pair of inclined legs 38 and 40 which are preferably T-shaped in cross-section. The members 38 and 40, therefore, are formed with plates 42 and 44 and with webs 48 andAB, respectively. Base plates 50 and 52 are welded to the bottom surface of the members 38 and 40 in order to provide a greater bearing surface. At the upper end of each of the web portions 46 and 48 there is removed a. certain portion so that a slot 54 is formed. The overlapping portions of the web, as at St, are welded together and brace rods 58 are also provided to rigidify the construction by being terminally welded to the opposed webs 46 and 48.

At the location where it is desired to place the A-members 18, the bottom flange of the I-beam stringers I2 is removed, as can be best seen in Figure 3. U-shaped retaining members 60- are then welded to the web portion of the I member 12 for reception of the webs 4B and 48 adjoining the slot 54. A highly desirable bearing surface is provided by the plates 42' and 44 which abut against the under surface of the upper flange of the I-beam 12. The U-shaped retaining members 60 position the members 18 at their proper angle and prevent rotation thereof.

A triangular ledge 62'is secured to the leg 14 and a plate 64 is welded thereto to provide support for the beams 32 forming the foot rests. for the lowest seat beam 30.

Referring now to Figures 6 through 8, in particular, it will be seen that a tie rod generally indicated by reference numeral 66 is provided to lock the supporting members I8 in a rigid manner. A pair of hooks 68 are welded or otherwise secured to the longitudinal rod 10 forming the tie rod 66. These hooks are adapted to engage supporting members l8. In order to lock the highest supporting member [8 so as to. prevent disengagement of the tie rod, a locking means is provided at the end of the tie rod. This locking means comprises a loop 12 formed at the end of the rod 10 to which isintegrally formed therewith a substantially L-shaped extension 14 which is spaced from the rest of the rod 10. In order to lock the tie rod 66 securely to the brace bar 58 of the largest supporting member. 18. it

4 is merely necessary to place this member over the cross or brace rod 58 of the rearmost support member l8 and then rotate it to position the L-shaped extension '14 in such a manner as to prevent the rod from slipping out of engagement with the cross rod 58, thus allowing the stand to collapse. The rod has a hook I5 at its other end engageable with leg 14.

Referring now to Figures 11 and 12, there will be seen another form of seat support bracket. 0n the stringers 90 of this form of the invention thereis positioned a substantially T-shaped connecting brace member 92 to which is welded at the upper-surface thereof seat plates 94. The foot rest support plates 96 are terminally welded to the stringer '90 and the flange 98 of the T- ron. 92:;

Since, from the foregoing, the construction and advantages of this portable grandstand are readily apparent, further description is believed to be unnecessary;

However, since. numerous modifications will readily occur to those skilled in the art after a consideration of the foregoing specification and accompanying drawings, it is not intended to limit the invention to the precise embodiment shown and described, but all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the appended claims.

Having described the invention, what is claimed as new is:

1. A portable grandstand comprising a plurality of inclined horizontally spaced parallel stringers, means for supporting said strin ers open vertical sides, and said A-shaped members being received in said open sides adjacent their respective slots.

2. A portable grandstand comprising a plurality of horizontally inclined laterally spaced parallel stringers, a. plurality of horizontal beams extending between adjacent stringers, and means for carrying said beams comprising brace members rising from said stringers at a right angle thereto, and Z-shaped beam supporting brackets surmounting said stringers with oppositely extending upper and lower parallel legs joined by a connecting web, the lower legs resting at their extremities on said stringers in horizontal position and the brace-members supporting the extremities of the upper legs and bearing against and supporting said brackets at the juncture O the lower legs with said webs.

STACY S. STQRER. JR.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,125,19 i- Sigmund Jan. 19, 1915 1,496,624 Christopher June 3, 1924 1,746,147 Duke Feb. 4, 1930 1,778,067 Eversole Oct. 14, 1930 1,83 ,41 Post Jan. 1932 1,839,679 H PD s an. 5, 1932 2,343,832 Pinson et al. Mar, Z, 1944 2,.i66,9 82 Easterwood ut Apr- 2, 1 949 

